What Is Tuckman’s Model of Group Development?

 What Is Tuckman’s Model of Group Development

An American organizational psychologist Bruce Tuckman presented a robust model in 1965, the four-stage map of group evolution, which is the forming, storming, norming, and performing model. After that, Tuckman replenishes the model by adding a fifth stage, the adjourning phase.

In the forming stage, the members come together for the first time and the reasons why they come together are a mixture. Group members are full of uncertainty. They are not sure what is going to happen next. Therefore, they tend to be polite, conflict-avoidant, and observant. In this stage, these members probably work together only for a common goal or for the same reason. I think some of the members tend to know each other and understand who they are working with while some of them tend to do jobs they are allocated to do. If this happens, it may result in many subgroups within the group. It will lower its performance and effectiveness of communication.

Once group members are adequately included, the next stage is the storming phase. During this phase, the members change their behaviors from guard up to relatively authentic and argumentative. They probably begin to explore their power and influence. Therefore, the differences in their background, culture, and value, are starting to mess up and causing disputes about how tasks should be done and who is assigned to them. The leadership here is also important since members may question and resist orders from the managers.

Next, move on to the norming stage, group members usually feel less stressed at this point, and they are much more committed to each other and the group’s goal. Moreover, they feel more confident since they already know how to handle the tough stuff that did not familiar with before. During this period of time, the order can be temporary if managers think their mission has competed and become lazy. When the rule is clear enough, more decisions are made by the team since they are able to take more responsibility. However, it does not absolutely come with openness and respect. Therefore, the leader should become more of a facilitator by stepping back and letting the group assume more responsibility for its goal at this point. A team-building event might be helpful but be sure to respect different cultures.

After we can even our own strategy of playing a game, the group is now ready to play with greater equipment. At the performing stage, participants are not only getting the work done, but they also pay greater attention to how they are doing it. From how to do it, to how to do better, the members now trying to operate procedures best support productivity and quality assurance. However, the leaders still have to stand as their coach to help the team grow even more. Tip, provide the incentives to stimulus creative ways to do their jobs better.

Eventually, we are now at the adjourning stage. Just like a life train, someone has to get off and someone has to get on. Many groups or teams formed in a business context are project-oriented and therefore are temporary in nature. Group leaders and members must be sensitive to handling these endings respectfully and compassionately. 

Reference

Tuckman, B. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384–399.

What Is Tuckman’s Model of Group Development

 What Is Tuckman’s Model of Group Development

An American organizational psychologist Bruce Tuckman presented a robust model in 1965, the four-stage map of group evolution, which is the forming, storming, norming, and performing model. After that, Tuckman replenishes the model by adding a fifth stage, the adjourning phase.

In the forming stage, the members come together for the first time and the reasons why they come together are a mixture. Group members are full of uncertainty. They are not sure what is going to happen next. Therefore, they tend to be polite, conflict-avoidant, and observant. In this stage, these members probably work together only for a common goal or for the same reason. I think some of the members tend to know each other and understand who they are working with while some of them tend to do jobs they are allocated to do. If this happens, it may result in many subgroups within the group. It will lower its performance and effectiveness of communication.

Once group members are adequately included, the next stage is the storming phase. During this phase, the members change their behaviors from guard up to relatively authentic and argumentative. They probably begin to explore their power and influence. Therefore, the differences in their background, culture, and value, are starting to mess up and causing disputes about how tasks should be done and who is assigned to them. The leadership here is also important since members may question and resist orders from the managers.

Next, move on to the norming stage, group members usually feel less stressed at this point, and they are much more committed to each other and the group’s goal. Moreover, they feel more confident since they already know how to handle the tough stuff that did not familiar with before. During this period of time, the order can be temporary if managers think their mission has competed and become lazy. When the rule is clear enough, more decisions are made by the team since they are able to take more responsibility. However, it does not absolutely come with openness and respect. Therefore, the leader should become more of a facilitator by stepping back and letting the group assume more responsibility for its goal at this point. A team-building event might be helpful but be sure to respect different cultures.

After we can even our own strategy of playing a game, the group is now ready to play with greater equipment. At the performing stage, participants are not only getting the work done, but they also pay greater attention to how they are doing it. From how to do it, to how to do better, the members now trying to operate procedures best support productivity and quality assurance. However, the leaders still have to stand as their coach to help the team grow even more. Tip, provide the incentives to stimulus creative ways to do their jobs better.

Eventually, we are now at the adjourning stage. Just like a life train, someone has to get off and someone has to get on. Many groups or teams formed in a business context are project-oriented and therefore are temporary in nature. Group leaders and members must be sensitive to handling these endings respectfully and compassionately. 

The Students in The Course To Be A Group

I believe that as we are reaching the midpoint of the term, we are in the performing stage. We understand the roles and are much more committed to each other and the group’s goal. We know how to handle tough assignments that did not familiar with before. Moreover, we are now trying to do our assignments and quizzes better.

Reference

Tuckman, B. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384–399.

Who Is Responsible for Dealing with Employee Stress? Is It The Employee or The Organization?

 Who Is Responsible for Dealing with Employee Stress? Is It The Employee or The Organization?

Modern workers feel stressed out on the job, and the stress is taking a toll on their sleep, health, relationships, productivity, and sense of well-being. Work-related stress is a growing problem around the world that affects not only the health and well-being of employees but also the productivity of organizations. It arises where work demands of various types and combinations exceed the person’s capacity and capability to cope. I think instead of discussing who is responsible for it, we should think it as a win-win strategy or opportunity. 

If a company you are working for is the union of you and other employees of it, the company will be bigger when each of its employees is also bigger. Therefore, rather than thinking about who is responsible for this, how to benefit each other is a more appropriate topic we should consider. Suppose that all employees believe that their employers are responsible for dealing with employee stress, it becomes an excuse for blaming someone else. The employees will become weaker when they find someone to release the stress that is actually caused by themselves. However, if all the stress must be dealt with all by the employees themselves, they are like a candle that burns at both ends. Consequently, they are more likely to quit their jobs, less willing to perform better, and lower their ability to be creative and innovative.  

Dealing with The Stress

Work-related stress can be caused by various events such as the demands of their job is greater than they can comfortably manage, conflict with coworkers or bosses, constant change, or potential redundancy. However, before you can cure any stress, you have to examine what causes it. Sometimes, identifying the question is harder than fixing it. Most of the time, organizations are doing things like increasing their immune system to fight all the potential threats. For instance, raising their paychecks, promotion, award, or other benefits are trying to ensure their employees are still by their side. But, it must be flexible to deal with unknown threats. It is good to be strong, and it is also important to be careful and in great status.

For An Individual to Deal with Their Own Stress

i. Exercise

Obviously, exercising regularly is one of the best ways to relax your body and mind, and also improve your mood. It's not a miss direction method. Rather, it is a scientific method. Research shows that exercise increases your overall health, and some of the benefits are quite direct. For instance, physical activity helps bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins, and also provides stress relief for your body while imitating the effects of stress.

ii. Keep Learning New Skills

The more you learn, the greater opportunity you will get. Therefore, you will have better chips on the table to win the game and also have the courage to leave the environment that you do not fit in.

iii. Keep A Positive Attitude and Accept That There Are Events That You Cannot Control

You cannot control what's the weather like, but you can control how you react to it. Sometimes rainy days are pretty inconvenient, but it is necessary for us to have water flow into our reservoirs. In a desert, water is more precious than gold.

iv. Grow Good Hobbies

The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, becoming more productive, building revolutionary companies and social movements, and achieving success are understanding how habits work. Particularly, the keystone habits. Keystone habits are where positive change begins. They are habits that produce something of a ripple effect in which one little positive change has the potential to produce other positive changes in all different parts of someone's routine. For example, if you mind your diet and exercise regularly, you are less likely to smoke or do anything bad to your health.

For An Organization to Lower The Stress of Their Employees

Due to the pandemic of coronavirus, people are worried about job losses, getting sick, and feeling isolated while working remotely. Work has always been stressful for some, but since the Covid-19 pandemic changed many of the work environments and processes that people were used to, it's become stressful for most. Despite the increase in stress, work must go on. There are some effective ways for companies to help their employees to manage stress, no matter where they are or how they're working.

i. Humanize The Workplace With Empathy

Managers can help just by being human and humanizing the workplace by infusing empathy, compassion, and prioritizing mental health.

ii. Provide Tools And Platforms To Alleviate Tasks

Provide tools or platforms that alleviate simple, mundane tasks. In addition, invest in their upward growth. It will pay back in dividends.

iii. Provide Mental Wellness Programs

Interpersonal communications with a lot of empathy coupled with some mental wellness programs like meditation sessions or spend some time across casual chats with employees and bond at deeper levels to make them feel cared for.

Reference

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, August 18). Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469 

Work-related stress. Work-related stress - Better Health Channel. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2022, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/work-related-stress 

Theories of Motivation and Job Design, Stock Options versus Profit Sharing

 During week four of the BUS 4402, job design and motivation are two major tops of what surprised me. In the past, many business owners in Taiwan focused on hiring good people and punishing them when they are lazy. However, we can not treat our employees this way like they are animals anymore. These theories of motivation and job design are aimed to increase performance by designing and creating a proper culture and environment. However, it is not as easy as we think. Sometimes identifying the problem is the hardest part, even much more difficult than solving it. For example, when an employee quits a job, identifying why he/she quit the job is harder than fixing the issue that makes he/she quit. If we know exactly where the bug is in the motivation system, we may have the opportunity to fix it. Unknow is a huge barrier that causes many problems within a company and skipping the chance to solve them.

Another useful topic of this week's study is that the effectiveness of methods such as job design, goal setting, performance appraisals, and the use of incentives is culturally determined which means if a business is very successful in one country does not mean it will also be so successful in another country when adopting the same strategy. We can live on earth does not mean we can also live on other planets. It is always a good idea to understand a new environment before you visit. Moreover, a big challenge will occur when designing a motivating work environment, ethics. Oftentimes, we design a reward or award system is intended to get higher performance in the future and maintain the exertion. However, it evolves into bad habits within a company and causes a company to go bankrupt. For instance, energy giant Enron went bankrupt due to its reckless use of derivatives and special purpose entities. By hedging its risks with special purpose entities which it owned, Enron retained the risks associated with the transactions. This arrangement had Enron implementing hedges with itself.

Stock Options versus Profit Sharing

I think many people feel confused about the differences between stock options programs and profit-sharing programs. They are not the same, even though they both involve sharing the profit in some way. Profit sharing programs involve sharing a percentage of company profits with all employees. A stock option program, on the other hand, gives an employee the right, but not the obligation, to purchase company stocks at a predetermined price. Both of the two programs have their inherent pros and cons. For example, profit sharing programs may not be very effective since employees will have their own limited roles in influencing the overall company profitability. Similarly, the purpose of stock options is to align company and employee interests by making employees owners. However, options are not very useful for this purpose, because employees tend to sell the stock instead of holding onto it, even though they may receive dividends each year.

Reference

Segal, T. (2022, February 8). Enron scandal: The fall of a wall street darling. Investopedia. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://www.investopedia.com/updates/enron-scandal-summary/ 

How would you rate yourself on the Big Five personality dimensions?

 Personality psychologists are interested in what differentiates one person from another and why we behave the way that we do. Personality research relies on quantifiable concrete data which can be used to examine what people are like. These five dimensions were derived by asking thousands of people hundreds of questions and then analyzing the data with a statistical procedure known as factor analysis. Now, the Big Five is widely accepted as the model of personality(The Big Five Project - Personality Test).

How would you rate yourself on the Big Five personality dimensions? 

According to the scores I got on The Big Five Project - Personality Test, I am relatively open to new experiences(percentile:72%), very well-organized and can be relied on(percentile:92%), and tend to be good-natured, sympathetic, forgiving, and courteous(percentile:66%). However, I am a generally anxious person that tends to worry about things and is neither particularly social nor reserved(percentile:50%).

Is your personality profile suitable for a managerial position? If you answer yes, describe why your personality profile makes you suited to a managerial position. 

Overall, I reckon the answer is relatively close to YES, depending on what kind of position, team, or industry I am in. I am open to new experiences means I am able to accept come out with new ideas quickly. When a physical store I am operating, is affected by negative events such as COVID-19, I will make new solutions to solve such an issue quickly, switch sales onto platforms such as DoorDash or Uber. The well-organized character also helps me to implement new strategies with higher efficiency. However, I am a generally anxious person that tends to worry about things. Therefore, I must transfer the power of fear and anxiety to the fuel of execution. I think "What you fear is what you create." To conquer fear, I must understand what I fear and prepare for it. In addition, I am neither particularly social nor reserved. So, I can learn to be a quiet leader or a vibrant leader. Quiet Leadership provides a brain-based approach that will help busy leaders, executives, and managers improve their own and their colleagues' performance. 

Reference

The Big Five Project - Personality Test. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/ 

The Impacts of My Locus of Control Will Have on My Success?

 Introduction

Locus of control is a measure of the degree to which people feel accountable for their own behaviors. Individuals with a high internal locus of control believe that they control their own destiny and what happens to them is their own doing, while those with a high external locus of control feel that things happen to them because of other people, luck, or a powerful being. Generally, the internal Locus of Control means those who are more likely to take responsibility for their actions, tend to be less influenced by the opinions of other people, often do better at tasks when they are allowed to work at their own pace, tend to work hard to achieve the things they want, and likely to feel confident in the face of challenges. In contrast, external Locus of Control are those who are more likely to blame outside forces for their circumstances, credit luck for any successes, and frequently feel hopeless or powerless in the face of difficult situations. However, it is also important to remember that internal locus of control does not always mean "good" and external locus of control does not always equal "bad." Sometimes, having an external locus of control can be a good thing, particularly when a situation poses a threat to self-esteem or is genuinely outside of a person's control. For instance, a person who loses a video game that requires great teamwork may feel depressed if they have a strong internal locus of control. However, it is not totally one player's fault.

What Is Locus of Control?

Locus of control orientation is a belief about whether the outcomes of our actions are contingent on what we do or on events outside our personal control. It was explained by psychologist Philip Zimbardo in his book "Psychology and Life"(Cherry, 2021). The consequences of our actions helped determine our beliefs about the likely results of future behaviors.

Our anticipation of certain results influences our behaviors and attitudes. In other words, an individual is more likely to pursue a goal if they have been rewarded for similar efforts in the past and believe that they can influence their chances of future success. However, it is important to note that locus of control is a continuum which means no one has a hundred percent external or internal locus of control. Instead, most people lie somewhere on the continuum between the two extremes.

What My Locus of Control Score Means?

According to the Locus of control test, I have a mixed attribution style when it comes to success(57%). It says sometimes I interpret my success as a result of my skills, intelligence, and nice personality. Sometimes, I attribute it to external factors, such as luck, ease of tasks, or other people's help. As a consequence, I don't always take the credit I deserve. My self-esteem, motivation, and general well-being would most likely be improved if I realized that I actively influence positive events in my life.

The Impacts of My Locus of Control Will Have on My Success?

When I think about questions such as who controls my happiness? Who is responsible for my income? My answer is there is always something I can control and something I cannot. I have a mixed attribution style when it comes to success. Therefore, I can balance the external and internal control to get a better result. For instance, due to the pandemic of COVID-19, I may consider it is an event that I can not totally control. So, I will focus on anything I can control to fight it back and make new strategy to adopt it during the event. I think life is always a hybrid from choices and destiny. You cannot choose who to be your parents but you can choose how to treat them and how to fight for your future. If you depressd about your destiny, you will miss the opportunity to fight it. If you think you can totally control who to be your parents, it would be ridiculous. 

Reference

Cherry, K. (2021, August 17). Are you in control of your destiny, or are you at the mercy of chance? Verywell Mind. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-locus-of-control-2795434#toc-what-is-locus-of-control 

Melody Wilding, L. M. S. W. (2020, January 21). Successful people have a strong 'locus of control'. do you? Forbes. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2020/03/02/successful-people-have-a-strong-locus-of-control-do-you/?sh=7d87cb317af3 

Individual differences matter in the workplace

 During week two of BUS 4402, I learned that individual differences matter in the workplace. While employees bring in their personality, physical and mental abilities to work, it is a test for all business owners. From interviewing a candidate to what they expect their employees to demonstrate. Unfortunately, most of them only focus on expectation, particularly, how much money they can earn by doing their job well enough. I think it is similar to a chess game. Suppose your pieces are the employees, how you move them and how you place them at the right square on the board, is your strategy. Although a Queen may be more powerful than a Knight, the Queen is still in danger if you put it in the wrong place. That caused me to wonder, how do we know such private information of each employee we hire, to definite them as each piece on a chessboard? Usually, we collect tons of data as much as we can to better understand who we are hiring. However, it seems like predicting the future based on past experiences which are not always effective. Oftentimes, the behavior you may expect from someone proactive, creative, and willing to take risks will depend on the situation. 

In Taiwan, I reckon that most business owners only care about the Person–job fit rather than Person–job fit when hiring employees. If you only care about a person’s skill, knowledge, abilities, and other characteristics match the job demands, they will only do "what the job demands". Personal values, personality, goals may seem unnecessary at first while recruiting. However, it will become significant in the long term. I think it is reasonable that companies are often interested in hiring candidates who will fit into the company culture since they tend to be more satisfied with their jobs, more committed to their companies.

In addition, faking tests during interviews is also what I was trying to understand. Does any of these tests all consider lies and honesty? Candidates who are faking better than others, are more likely to perform their jobs well? Or, they are just loose cannons that will accidentally blow in the future. If we give an aspirational answer to a friend, that probably means we want to build a good relationship with him/her. However, it is still a lie. When it becomes a habit, it will spill over and affect how they will behave. Although business owners all want to completely know who they are hiring, it is still a strenuous task. Therefore, if I choose to use these tests for selection, I must understand the limitations. Relying only on personality tests is a bad idea, I think. 

An example of hiring was Elon Musk's favorite question to ask during job interviews which leave people stumped. Elon Musk asked this question to people that interviewed at SpaceX and Tesla. "You're standing on the surface of the Earth. You take a walk one mile south, one mile west, and one mile north. You end up exactly where you started. Where are you?” Musk doesn't actually care whether you got the correct answer. Instead, he sees it as an opportunity to check whether prospective applicants approach problem solving and process information.

Reference

REUTERS), (I. (2021, June 17). Riddle Elon Musk asks during job interviews for spaceX leaving people stumped. mirror. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/elon-musks-favourite-question-ask-24328522 

DIVERSITY PROGRAM, WHY WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT A DIVERSITY PROGRAM?

 INTRODUCTION

The business case for diversity derives from the progression of the models of diversity within the workplace since the 1960s. In the United States, the original model for diversity was situated around affirmative action drawing from equal opportunity employment objectives implemented in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. From CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) point of view and extended the idea that individuals outside the dominant group should be given opportunities within the workplace, not only because it was instituted as a law, but because it was the right thing to do. Diversity is shown to bring substantial benefits such as better decision making and improved problem solving, greater creativity and innovation, which leads to enhanced product development, and more successful marketing to different types of customers. Moreover, diversity also enhances organizations' abilities to compete in global markets. Simply recognizing diversity in a corporation helps link the variety of talents within the organization.

However, knowing something is good does not mean you can do it successfully. One of the greatest challenges an organization has when trying to adopt a more inclusive environment is assimilation for any member outside the dominant group. Each time, when organizations hire or promote individuals that are not part of this dominant group into management positions, tension develops between the socially constructed organizational norm and acceptance of cultural diversity. Usually, these individuals are mentored and coached to adopt the necessary traits for inclusion into the privileged group as opposed to being embraced for their differences. Another challenge faced by organizations striving to foster a more diverse workforce is the management of a diverse population. Managing diversity is more than simply acknowledging differences in people. Here we will discuss it based on what it is, why should we use it, and most importantly, how to execute it. 

WHAT IS A DIVERSITY PROGRAM?

I reckon that it is a persisting, systemic, structural, and cultural plan or strategy to keep a business operating within a diverse beneficial environment. 

WHY WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT A DIVERSITY PROGRAM?

Employers often use diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for both compliance obligations and to increase the overall bottom line with a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce. According to U.S. Census Bureau projections, the U.S. population will be 31 percent Hispanic, 14.7 percent black, and 8.2 percent Asian by 2060. As companywide culture has become more diverse, businesses and the communities they serve become more diverse as well. A companywide diversity program is a great way to leverage the strengths of your diverse workforce.

Today, I reckon diversity initiatives must be in our must-do lists of daily operations. Not only it’s widely accepted as the right thing to do, but the reasons for cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace also go far beyond that. Many research shows that when diversity and inclusion work together, they improve the job experience for employees. But they also improve the performance of the company as a whole. According to a report by Forbes, companies ranking high in gender diversity outperform their competition by 15 percent. Moreover, workplace diversity has become an important predictor of a company’s sales revenue and profitability, according to the American Sociological Association. Diverse employees also bring a far-reaching set of life experiences and backgrounds to the table, meaning they’re often looking at life through a different lens. It is also a crucial part of a multinational company because different perspectives can open up new ways to solve challenges or address problems. 

However, it is not as easy as we think it is. Diversity isn’t just changing the complexions of workplaces across the country. It’s also changing the faces of consumers. When a business establishes itself as having a culture that fosters diversity, it becomes more attractive to minority customers. Many studies indicate that positive work environments lead to greater success. Happier employees are more productive and engaged. Employees feel valued and respected, which leads to greater collaboration and creativity. 

HOW TO DEVELOP IT?

To transform our business, a simple fix to a policy or process rarely cuts it. Instead, we look at the people, mindsets, skills, structure, and culture you have now. Diversity inclusion initiatives must start with the commitment from the top. With a commitment from top leaders in an organization to change the existing culture to one of diversity inclusion, the diversity change management process can succeed. This process includes analyzing where the organization is currently at through a diversity audit, creating a strategic action plan, gaining support by seeking stakeholder input and holding individuals accountable through measurable results. To create an effective diversity and inclusion program, the company must consider the Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion Programs, and most importantly, The Stakeholders. To achieve better outcomes, it takes hard work and certain conditions to be in place such as developing norms of cooperation and collectivistic norms, where people are focused on the good of the group instead of their own individual needs, hiring transformational leaders who inspire people to achieve their best, or train all members to be more thoughtful and open to new experiences. 

Starting with the stakeholders, customers, employees, shareholders, directors, and other stakeholders, the HR executives may also want to create a diversity council or committee composed of employees from all levels. The committee or council’s duties should include defining program goals, promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and holding stakeholders accountable for outcomes. After an internal census has been conducted and all relevant data collected, areas of concern and underrepresented demographics can be identified. Then, to address diversity issues, we must review demographics such as age, sex, and ethnicity to see if each group is properly represented throughout the business. 

After all of the potential concerns have been identified, the company must try to implement diversity and create a more comfortable working environment for all employees. We can start with the changes in company policies and practices, staff training, targeted recruiting, and employer-sponsored diversity and inclusion awareness events. Apply the SMART Goals(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), we can develop an effective action plan to implement these initiatives and start with the elements that have the greatest business value or that are readily achievable to build momentum for the initiative. In addition, the company must approach the managers and equip them with messages to inform, educate, engage or empower employees where appropriate. The communication plan should incorporate executive presentations, social media posts, internal newsletters, intranet, and email communications. 

Now, the next step is to make sure that diversity and inclusion initiatives are having a positive impact, to measure the results of the programs that have been implemented such as an increased representation of identified groups and improved employee satisfaction are two of the most important metrics to track. 

REFERENCE

Atcheson, S. (2018, September 28). Embracing diversity and fostering inclusion is good for your business. Forbes. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/shereeatcheson/2018/09/25/embracing-diversity-and-fostering-inclusion-is-good-for-your-business/?sh=34c2346d72b1 

About the Author Lisa Leslie Lisa M. Leslie, & Leslie, L. L. L. M. (n.d.). What makes a workplace diversity program successful? Greater Good. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_makes_a_workplace_diversity_program_successful 

Kokemuller, N. (2016, October 26). What are the benefits of a companywide diversity program? Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-companywide-diversity-program-69203.html 

Kokemuller, N. (2016, October 26). What are the benefits of a companywide diversity program? Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-companywide-diversity-program-69203.html 

Team, / I. B., Castro, / D., Abney, / K., & Divine, / C. (2022, January 26). 5 surprising benefits of fostering diversity and inclusion in the Workplace. Intuit®: Official Blog. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.intuit.com/blog/social-responsibility/5-surprising-benefits-of-fostering-diversity-and-inclusion-in-the-workplace/ 

Individualistic or Collectivist ?

 Culture refers to the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music and is different all over the world. In addition, it also refers to values and beliefs that exist in a society. To summarize, I think it is a style of what or how we live, what we think, and how we react to others. For instance, if you greet strangers with a smile on the street, you may get very different reactions from people who come from different countries.

According to the book Business Communications for Success, by Scott McLean, people in individualistic cultures value individual freedom and personal independence. For example, Amazon's stock soared recently, triggered many online media to post articles about it to get attention. Most of them are focused on how much money the CEO Jeff Bezos is earning per day, how worthy Jeff Bezos becomes, or what percentage does Jeff Bezos increasing his rich. These newspapers authors, editors, or publishers are reflecting their cultural viewpoint.

According to Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory, a framework used to understand the differences in culture across countries and to distinguish between different national cultures, the dimensions of culture, and assess their impact on a business setting, Hofstede identified six categories that define culture. Collectivism vs. Individualism is part of Hofstede's identified six categories.

Culturally speaking, I reckon that I am both individualistic and collectivist, I would say that I am kind of a hybrid personally. I value the autonomy of the person and creativity but not self-reliance. Some collectivistic cultures that I have are stronger bonds to my groups. I am more likely to talk about my likes and dislikes, personal goals, or accomplishments but also likely to define myself in relation to others sometimes.

Since I am kind of a hybrid, I value the autonomy of my employee and their creativity. However, I would like to lead by example and build some collectivistic within my business. I think it is my responsibility to take care of my employee and bring them a better future. Therefore, I would hire more collectivist people since they are more attached to my organization and have more permanent attachments to it but I would also manage and train them to respect diversity. We reward good performance but this benefit is both comes from individual and group effort, not purely group or purely individual.

Personally, I think my communication pattern tends to be collectivistic with low-context languages. Because I think most of the time, relationship prevails over task. And if the relationship is bad, the task is likely to be bad as well. Although people from collective cultures tend to use high-context language which means they are sensitive to their surroundings, I think language competency and expression can strongly influence other people's understanding. With low-context languages, messages can be received more correctly. However, some adjustment is always needed to reduce the chance of conflicts.

It seems complicated at first. However, I think most of the people or events are fall somewhere in between, not purely evil or purely agreeable. Therefore, purely collectivism will limit the creativity of individuals, and purely individualism will lead to a workplace that lacks empathy and responsibility for operating a business.

Reference

Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory. Corporate Finance Institute. (2020, June 1). Retrieved January 28, 2022, from https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/hofstedes-cultural-dimensions-theory/ 

McLean, S. (2015, November 25). 18.4 Divergent Cultural Characteristics. Retrieved July 31, 2020, from https://open.lib.umn.edu/businesscommunication/chapter/18-4-divergent-cultural-characteristics/

Organizational culture, BUS 4402

 During this first week of BUS4402, I read chapter one, two, and fifteen of the textbook. What attracted me the most is the diversity program. It may seem pretty simple at first. However, it is not as easy as we think it is. Diversity isn’t just changing the complexions of workplaces across the country. It’s also changing the faces of consumers. I reckon that it is a persisting, systemic, structural, and cultural plan or strategy to keep a business operating within a diverse beneficial environment. 

Two years ago, when I worked at a coffee shop, I have a deep experience of the reason why happier employees are more productive and engaged. One of the reasons is that they tend to be more active and less likely to quit. Although customers are one of the important stakeholders, employees are also an important part of how a company can satisfy the needs of its customers. In addition, when employees feel valued and respected, which leads to greater collaboration and creativity. In the example of the coffee shop, I found that the barista is more likely to actively practice and make better latte art. I think there is a big difference between requiring someone to do something and someone actively performing something. Employees can do one thing as good as 60% or as good as they can to make it close to 99%.

Organizational culture is also a totally new concept for me. I think many business owners start their business with purely one goal, hiring people to work for them and to make money for themselves. However, while employees start working for you, there is huge differences between fear for being fired and happy to work for you. When the boss only care about how much money his/her employees can earn and do not care much about their health, satisfaction, or happyness, his/her employees are likely to put less effort into their jobs. And, the topic made me think of a company, Dyson.

Dyson, a name that has become synonymous with vacuum cleaners and known for transforming a brilliant engineering idea into a bright success. Dyson products are sold in 45 countries of Europe, Middle East, Australia and United States. Dyson’s remarkable success can be attributed to the corporate culture that flows directly from the founder’s personality, problem solving, creativity, and innovation. The consistency in personality and the open culture embedded in the very fabric of organization where mistakes are not punished, rather valued because of a potential to be turned into success.((Ltd, Dyson Company Analysis: Industry and Culture 2021)

Reference

Ltd, A. A. (2021, December 31). Dyson Company Analysis: Industry and Culture. UK Essays. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/business/examining-the-rise-of-the-dyson-company-business-essay.php